The distinguishing feature of integral sound suppressors for guns is that they are not only mounted on the muzzle of the barrel but extend nearly completely or, optionally, completely along the longitudinal direction of the gun barrel, and encase said barrel like a jacket. This type of design not only optimizes the sound suppressing effectiveness, but also improves the balance of the gun and its visual appearance.
This type of integral sound suppressor is known from GB 2 355 056 A. This sound suppressor comprises a tubular housing designed for encasing the gun barrel along its longitudinal direction, which housing is mounted on a gun barrel and attached via an internal thread to an external thread disposed in the area of the muzzle of the gun barrel. In the area of the front end of the barrel, an annular adapter with a valve assembly for injecting a sound suppressing medium, e.g., in the form of an inert or noble gas, is clamped between the rearward end of the tubular housing and a shoulder on the gun barrel. Via the adapter, the sound suppressing medium contained in a cartridge can be injected into the barrel and into the housing of the integral sound suppressor which is screwed onto the barrel. Injecting the sound suppressing medium into the firearm results in a decrease in the volume of combustible gas within the firearm and thereby reduces the muzzle blast. However, this solution to the problem requires a relatively high degree of constructional complexity. In addition, the adapter must be actuated separately, and an additional sound suppressing medium is required.